transitional fossils
Between-species ancient remains
Transitional fossils are remains of organisms that display characteristics of both ancestral and descendant groups, documenting evolutionary change between major forms of life.
Archaeopteryx, with its dinosaur skeleton and bird feathers, is a classic example.
The term is slightly misleading—all fossils represent organisms in transition, since evolution is continuous.
Creationists sometimes claim transitional fossils don't exist; paleontologists counter that the fossil record contains many.
- ArchaeopteryxPrehistoric transitional flying creature
- vestigial structuresInherited features without function
- paleontologyStudy of ancient organisms
- ArdipithecusEarliest known upright primate genus
- common ancestorOrigin point of descendants
tree of life · Eusthenopteron · phylogenetics · speciation · adaptation · cladistics · strata · rock layers · deep time · geochronology · prehistoric · extinct · bones · limbs · sediment · imprint · fins · Darwin